


Crepuscule

by spoopyking



Category: Twilight (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bella/Alice - Freeform, Bellice - Freeform, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29253807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spoopyking/pseuds/spoopyking
Summary: A Bellice University!AU fanfic. Similar to the original Twilight saga, but with some alterations. Also Forks High School is now a University.
Relationships: Alice Cullen/Bella Swan
Comments: 7
Kudos: 41





	1. A Cold Welcome

**Author's Note:**

> i had the inspiration to create this fic in a sleep-deprived stupor so don’t expect too much from me. i am rusty on writing, but hoping to continue this fic (as i have failed to do so in the past for other fics...orz). enjoy!

# Crepuscule

### A Cold Welcome

September: the beginning of autumn, harbinger of brisk winds and warm drinks. Usually it’s not so bad in Arizona, but Forks is a whole different ballpark. I wouldn’t be here usually, though since my mom and her recently wed husband want to spend more time together and travel for his job ... Well, I figured it’d be best to let them have their space.

Besides, I’m in my twenties now — being away from my mom and stepdad Phil is a good thing in the sense that Charlie, my birth father, is more lax. By the will of Lady Luck, I also managed to snag a scholarship at Forks University. The economy is garbage as it is and the last thing I need to worry about is paying back thousands in tuition.

A week before classes start, my mom and Phil had paid for my one-way ticket to Forks, Washington and drop me off at the airport. While I was waiting to get on the plane, I made sure to download some music onto my phone so I had something to fall asleep to during the flight. Thankfully the trip was overall quick and uneventful as I managed to sleep most of the way there.

Charlie was waiting for me outside when I exited the airport in Forks, offering some semblance of a smile that was greatly overshadowed by the sheer presence of his thick moustache and eyebrows. They weren’t a new feature on his face by any means but seeing them is always like the first time. “Hey Charlie,” I smiled back at him, climbing into the passenger side of his truck. I glanced in the backseat out of instinct and I saw some small bundles of lumber and tools.

“What’s with all that?” I asked, buckling my seatbelt. “Oh, uh — new hobby I took up,” he paused, rubbing the back of his neck “woodworking.” I nodded in approval. “It gives me something to do during the off-season.” Charlie added as an explanation after a moment.

Charlie used to be a small town cop here in Forks, but left a while back after witnessing years of corruption within the force. He eventually got a job doing construction with a local company, it made his hands more visibly calloused than they’ve ever been while I was growing up. Honestly, I’m just happy knowing he does something that makes him happy and benefits the community as a whole.

After buckling his own seatbelt, Charlie started up his truck and started driving towards my childhood home. “So... are you excited for your classes to start?” I appreciated his constant attempts at small talk, knowing he’s never been good at it. “Um, yeah... yeah I think I’m looking forward to all my classes this semester. Still not entirely confident in my degree though... might change my mind at any time.” Charlie chuckled at this, apparently finding my struggle in academia funny “Bella, you’ve never been the decisive type anyway —“ I playfully glare at him as he continues to speak “— but, you know me and your mom will support you in whatever you end up choosing to do. Though it might take her a little more time to adjust than me.”

I beamed bashfully at my dad’s words, gently punching his shoulder. “Hey! I’m driving here!” He cautioned, but there was no actual concern in his voice. That was just his way of joking, Charlie’s a very monotonous man. “If you keep saying things like that I might start thinking you’re a softie or something.” He rolls his eyes at me and I catch sight of it in the rearview mirror. “Hm... well, it’s not the worse thing to be.” He mused, mostly to himself.

It wasn’t too long after that, that we arrived at the house. I saw another truck parked in the driveway as we drove up. “Two vehicles? That can’t be necessary.” I looked to my dad, perplexed. Exiting his truck, I circled around to look at the other vehicle. “That one is yours.” Charlie stated plainly, coming up beside me and giving me a few pats on my back. “Wait, seriously?” He nodded in response. “Damn, and I didn’t even bring you a homecoming gift. Now I feel bad.” I stuck my thumbs in the pockets of my well-worn jeans and sucked on my teeth.

Charlie shook his head, chuckling again. “You’re the one coming home, you’re not expected to get me a present.” He was right, but I didn’t say that. He hasn’t always been the most present father, because of being in a different state than me. So, he tries his best to make up for it whenever we’re together. It’s kinda sweet, actually.

I gave Charlie a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, dad. I’m grateful, I really am.” I saw Charlie get a little bit flustered, and I think I heard him mumble “no problem”. I let out a laugh and headed inside with my luggage, leaving Charlie outside to process what just happened. He’s not exactly used to being a dad, or being treated like one.

I scope out my room and it’s essentially the same as it was when I was a kid. A few things had been added to suit a now adult me living here again, like a desk and full-sized wardrobe for storage. As well, Charlie had replaced my bed with a bigger one, already fitted with a sheet and a thick blanket draped across the bed. I mentally noted to thank him again later for his thoughtfulness.

I set my suitcases aside and fall back onto my bed. Despite having slept on the plane, I was ready to pass out right then and there. I decided to give in to the urge and closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to take me.

* * * * * * * * *

The days leading up to the start of classes were uneventful yet simultaneously overwhelming. There wasn’t much to do other than adjust to the major shift in my environment, which at times seemed to be quite the learning curve. Constant rain made for slippery surface, an obstacle for those who are clumsy and uncoordinated — which happens to be me. The fact that I did ballet as a kid and flunked out makes nothing but sense to me, in hindsight.

The first day of class was no different, overcast and rain. I wasn’t particularly fond of the cold and wet, but at least the sound of the rain plinking against different surfaces was enjoyable. I drove into campus — having almost gotten lost on the way there multiple times — and found the parking lot I had been assigned for the year. I shifted the gear into park and scrambled out of my truck.

I looked at the time on my phone which read 9:45 am and I panicked. “Shit. It’s only your first class of the semester and you’re going to be late because you don’t know directions!” I muttered to myself, fuming at my own foolishness. Rain still pouring, I opted to speed walk to the building where my first course was being held — anything faster than a brisk jog would surely lead to my imminent death.

By 9:59 am I had managed to enter the lecture hall at the back doors, my eyes scanning the room for any potential seat. I started to panic yet again when I realized most seats were taken and the lecture hall was almost full. “Hey, over here!” I whipped my head around, furrowing my brows as I tried to locate the owner of the voice in the pre-class boisterousness. “Look to your right!” I followed the voice’s instruction and my gaze landed on a messy short-haired woman, waving to me. She was seated at the end of a middle row in the back, near where I had entered the hall.

I was cautious and skeptical, but I wasted no time making my way over to her. When I was close enough, she got up and I saw how tall she was. Or rather, how tall she wasn’t. She had the height of a middle schooler and her aesthetic was somewhat gothic in nature. A midnight purple corset-inspired top that tied up at the front with puffy lace sleeves, black leather jeans, and tall, black lace-up boots. There was also a choker with a broach hugging her slender throat. She scooted over and sat in the previously empty seat that had been beside her. I waited for her to get set up with her laptop before settling into her old seat. Despite what I assumed was her having been seated there for some time, the chair wasn’t the least bit warm.

It was a few minutes later that the professor decided to quell the immense noise in the hall caused by student chatter. “Good morning everyone and welcome to the first lecture of Mad and Crippled: Mental Illness and Disability in Media. My name is Dr. Anwar. It’s always nice to see such a big turnout on the first day. Especially for this course. Let’s keep it up through the semester, shall we?” She clasped her hands and smiled, it was apparent she was passionate about teaching this course.

As Dr. Anwar scrolled through the introductory lecture slides, the curious woman next to me leaned over and spoke quietly. “Hi, I’m Alice.” Her voice was light and soft, even more so than I guess it usually would sound like because she was whispering. “What’s your angle?” I whispered back, not fully sure if I should trust her. I’m not exactly the type of person that people are tripping over themselves to be kind to. “My angle? I don’t have one. Can’t one just be considerate to another who is struggling to find a seat on the first day?” The woman retorted, clearly unphased by standoffish behaviour as if although she expected it. “However, if you were an angle, you’d be acute one.”

Suddenly I felt like my brain was short circuiting and I felt my face heat up immensely. “Are... are you flirting with me?” I coughed, having a hard time regaining my composure. “Mm... and if I am?” Was Alice’s response, followed by a wink. I started staring hard at my laptop screen. “Who says I’m even into women?” I blurt out nervously.

Alice leaned over more and looked me up and down and raised her eyebrows, observing my outfit. Steel-toed boots, my favourite but very worn and torn jeans, a black tank top under a flannel button-up with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows, and my hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. “...Want to try that one again?” She asked smugly, clearly holding back a giggle.

I loosen up a bit and let out a small laugh. “Maybe not. I’m Bella, by the way.” I casually reach to the right of me under the table, extending my hand. Alice looked at it for a moment, then slowly grabbed my hand and gave it a shake. Immediately my hand was overwhelmed by an intense chill, like I was holding a snowball. Noticing my change in demeanour, Alice pulled her hand away. “Sorry about that, I have poor circulation.” She gave me a small apologetic smile.

I felt a tinge of sensitivity in her words as she explained her body temperature. “Don’t even worry about it, it’s not like you can help it.” I reassured her. “You don’t know how right you are about that.” Alice snorted a laugh, seemingly cracking herself up. “Anyway, what’s your major?”

I sit up in my seat so it looks like I’m paying attention to Dr. Anwar, despite the fact that she is unable to see me so far away regardless. “Uh, Literature. What about you?” Alice nodded thoughtfully at my answer. “I see. It suits you. Myself, I’m in Disability Studies.” She answered, typing away at her keyboard.

I genuinely had no idea how she was managing to hold our conversation and apparently take notes at the same time. “How are you doing that?” I motioned to her furiously typing fingers. “Typing on a keyboard? Well first —“ “Come on, you know what I meant. Now you’re just being an obtuse angle.” I interrupted her, exasperated. Alice giggled at me, her laugh was melodic like a chorus of tiny bells. “It’s called multitasking, dear. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?” Usually whenever someone calls me “dear” I’m ready to stomp on their toes but hearing it from her felt...different. Not condescending, but as a term of endearment. Uh. Or casual sincerity.

Shaking the thought from my head, I scoff at her and attempt to refocus on the projector screen with Dr. Anwar’s slides. “Nah, never. Can’t you tell I live under a rock?” Came my crass reply. Alice grinned at me, as if pleased by my feist. Her teeth were unrealistically white, they glinted in the light like a neutron star and hurt my eyes just as much to look at. “You look too clean to be living under a rock. You look more like you live in a forest and roll in the underbrush.” I chuckle amusedly at her banter, attempting to type my own notes.

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about taking notes. Well, you can if you want, but I guarantee mine will be more thorough.” Alice stated matter-of-factly with an air of smugness about her. “Someone’s cocky.” I raise one of my eyebrows at her comment, still facing my screen. “Not cocky, that implies I have something to prove. I’m just confident.” She clarifies, taking a break from typing to stretch. I glance at her from the corner of my eye, watching close her eyes, arch her back and reach her arms over her head. Thankfully nobody complained about not being able to see the screen since we were seated at the back of the hall.

As if sensing me looking at her, she opened her eyes which startled me into fixing my sights on my notes document. “See something you like?” Alice, having finished stretching, remarked teasingly with a half-smile. I felt my face flare up again but showed no other outward reaction to her flirtatious words. “Yeah, this paid education we’re receiving right now.” I answered her using all the nonchalance I could muster in my given state. “Ha-ha. Nice save, Bella.” The way she said my name made the hairs on my arms stand on end. I couldn’t tell if it was in a good way or a bad way though.

Clearing my throat, I tried to change the topic. “Do you always act like this towards strangers?” “Well, we introduced ourselves and know each other’s name — that’s not exactly strangers, is it?” Alice ran her fingers through her hair, impossible for it to look anymore disheveled. “Hmph. You seem to want to deliberately egg me on. Is this fun to you?” I turned my head to face her, narrowing my eyes. In turn, her eyes had a devilish look in them. “Perhaps. Your reactions are entertaing indeed.” She lazily shrugged, returning to typing her lecture notes.

* * * * * * * * *

“Since we finished the introductory slides early, I’ll end class here today. Have a good afternoon, everyone!” Dr. Anwar concluded her lecture, turning off her microphone and beginning to pack up. It was now 11 am. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, I don’t know why I decided to take any morning classes when every fibre of my being is still asleep. I powered off my laptop and shut it, placing it gently into my backpack and zipping it up. “So, Bella, what’s your email?” Alice is now standing, looming over my hunched self. I sit back up and we’re essentially the same height. “Huh? What for?” “...So I can send you my notes, duh. I could tell you were barely managing to pay attention... between being tired and — well, my presence.”

Alice was nonstop with her coquettish behaviour and it was making me feel like a bundle of nerves. It was extremely uncomfortable getting so much attention out of nowhere but... She’s hot so I wasn’t minding it as much. “You flatter yourself too much. You were just distracting me with your talking, that’s all.” I huffed, standing up and slinging the strap of my backpack over my shoulder. “Mm. I beg to differ, but I’ll let it go this time. I’ve picked on you enough today.” Alice’s words were ominous and I was starting to sweat despite the cold lecture hall.

Taking a deep breath and blowing it out, I tilted my head down to look Alice in the eye. Her irises were a deep, dull green — it reminded me of the needles of the pine trees scattered around Forks. The colour looked almost unnatural, unreal, for a reason I couldn’t explain. “You’re weird, Alice,” I paused, rubbing my temple “do you have a phone I can type my email into?” Immediately Alice pulled a smartphone with a lilac-coloured case out of her pocket and handed it to me.

I unlocked the phone and opened her notes app. “No password? Really?” I questioned her as I typed my email out. “I’m not worried about losing my phone or having it stolen. It simply just won’t happen.” Her reply caused me to snort. “And, I get called weird a lot. But you’re the one who just gave some of your information to said weird person, so what does that make you?” Alice inquired in a singsong voice. I returned her phone to her and stuffed my hands in my pants pockets. “Simple. It makes me a fool.” My answer elicted a laugh from Alice.

I looked around and saw that the lecture hall was essentially empty besides Alice and myself, everyone having left while we were talking. “Well, better get going before the next class takes place in here. Seeya around.” I was in the middle of turning around to leave when I heard Alice speak “Wait!” I glanced back at Alice, having stopped moving. “...Do you have lunch plans?” She seemed shyer than before while questioning me. “What? Can’t get enough of me? We’ve only just met.” I decided to tease her as payback for earlier. “A simple yes or no will do.” Alice said plainly, avoiding my mock question.

I scratched my chin in thought, weighing the options in my head. “Well... I didn’t bring any food with me and I actually am not familiar with the town yet so... I suppose.” Alice’s eyes widened and lit up at my affirmation. “Great! You won’t regret this!” She squealed, grabbing my arm and dragging me towards the exit with her bag in tow. “How the hell are you so strong?” I yelped, struggling to keep some semblance of balance while being dragged behind a very short woman seemingly powered by Duracell batteries. I was met with laughter for the umpteenth time that day.


	2. Overcast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella and Alice eat lunch together and everything is fine. Or is it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very excited to have chapter 2 ready as quickly as i have...i am just so inspired to keep writing. i hope u enjoy it as much as i do!

# Crepuscule

### Overcast

Alice pulled me along across campus, to one of the other student parking lots. We end up in front of a very expensive looking Porsche. “Jeez, this is yours? What are you, some sort of hedgefund baby?” I said ludicrously, finally being let go by Alice. “Hm, not quite. I take very good care of her, though.” Alice answered, patting the side of her car. I cross my arms and make eye contact with her, which turns out to be harder to maintain than I imagined — there’s something intimidating about her gaze.

“You expect me to just get into a stranger’s car? How do I know you won’t kill me?” I questioned her skeptically, taking a few steps around her car. Alice walked in front of me and looked up at me “I already told you, we’re not strangers. And killing you is not on my list of what I want to do. Besides, if it were, I would have already done it.” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully and reached up to poke the middle of my chest for emphasis. I playfully swatted her hand away.

I give in and drop my hands to my sides. “After some thought... you probably couldn’t even hurt a fly.” I remarked, adjusting the shoulder strap of my backpack. “You think so? Interesting...” Alice mumbled to herself. She pulled out her car keys and unlocked the vehicle. She opened the passenger side door and bowed “Ladies first.” Alice said with faux-chivalry. I scoffed and sat myself in the passenger seat, Alice closing the door once I was buckled and ready.

She walked over to the driver’s side and climbed in. Keys in the ignition, Alice buckled in and revved the engine. “I forgot to warn you, I like to drive fast.” There was a mischevious look in her eye and I gripped the sides of my seat. What the hell have I gotten myself into? Alice backed out of her parking space and zipped out of the lot. “Are you trying to kill me? At least buy me dinner first!” I grimaced, clenching my fists tighter. “You know, I could do that. Buying you dinner, that is.” She tittered at her own joke, now on the town roads and heading to our destination. Which, was still unbeknownst to me.

“Will you at least tell me where we’re going? That way I can let my dad know the general area where he can find my body when we inevitably crash due to your reckless driving!” I hollered as my blood pressure rose indefinitely. “Ssh! You’re so dramatic. But if you have to know, we’re heading to Forks Outfitters. They have a deli and a coffeeshop, I thought you might like it.” Alice smiled at me through the rearview mirror. Deli food did sound good about now... and I could go for a coffee. “Oh... t-thanks, I guess.” I mumbled, relaxing my grip a bit and attempting to sit up in my seat more. Interacting with Alice felt like an endless rollercoaster ride and I’m still figuring out how to feel about it. I mean... she’s attractive and I’m at the whim of cute girls so ultimately on some level I was okay with everything transpiring.

It wasn’t long until we ended up in the parking lot of the plaza Forks Outfitters was in. Once Alice parked, I finally relaxed enough to breathe properly. “Next time, I’m driving.” I stated firmly, unbuckling my seatbelt. “Ooh, you’re already thinking about a next time with little ol’ me?” Alice batted her eyelashes at me, clasping her hands and holding them against her chest. “Don’t push your luck.” I rolled my eyes and exited the car. I swear I heard Alice snicker as she stepped out of her side of the vehicle.

I ended up building my own sandwich at the deli, a mix of meats, cheeses, and vegetables. We headed over to the coffeeshop and I bought myself a caffè mocha. Apparently while I was waiting for my drink to be made, Alice snuck over to the bakery and bought me some cannoli. “I already know you’ll love them so you can’t reject me giving them to you!” Was her defense. Unfortunately she was in fact right — either she had a scary capability for being correct, or she was constantly bluffing.

It was around noon when we drove back to campus, we decided to head back there to eat. Alice hadn’t bought herself anything, but claimed she had prepared lunch for herself and brought it with her today. “Why’d you drive us both if you already had food?” I asked her on the drive back. “Why not?” Alice asked in turn. I wasn’t sure how to respond, and ended up opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water. I leaned back in my seat and let out a sigh, feeling defeated. This woman was strange, but not in a life-threatening way or anything. Just... extremely unknowable and unpredictable. And I hate surprises.

Why did I agree to any of this? What was I thinking? I took a sip of my drink and let out another sigh, this one was out of content. I have never been known to make good decisions when attractive women are involved, and everything about Alice’s entire being just pulled me in. I felt bewitched, as if I were under a spell. Not to say that I wasn’t still acting of my own free will, but it seemed my actions still benefitted whatever Alice had in mind for me. Which I still had no idea what exactly that was. Again, I hate surprises. Alice didn’t seem to be outwardly malicious, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t just a good actress and was actually hiding more sinister intents below her bubbly exterior.

Somehow detecting my unrest, she glanced over at me during a red light. “I won’t hurt you, you know.” Her voice was soft and sincere. She sounded a little bit... hurt? Though I could be imagining that part. “You haven’t so far, at least. But that’s not indicative of the future.” I replied, placing my elbow on the arm rest of the car door and laying my head in my hand. “And what do you know about the future?” Alice quipped, driving again as the light had turned green. “What?” I responded quizzically. She made a turn into the campus road “Nevermind.” was her answer, followed by a giggle. What a strange question to ask... what is that even supposed to mean? This woman makes my head hurt at the low price of free.

Alice continued driving until she was in her parking lot, and shut off the car. She turned to look at me, both elbows on the centre console and her head in her hands. “So. I recall you saying that you’re unfamiliar with the area, so I assume you’re new, yes?” She asked me to clarify, tapping her fingers against her face. “Uh. Yeah. Why?” I answered slowly. I leaned away from her nervously, pressing myself into the car door. Being in too close proximity with a cute girl is dangerous. “Good! That means I get to give you a tour of campus, starting tomorrow.” Alice announced, elbows still balancing her weight on the centre console while she clapped her hands. “Wh-what. Why? And says who?” I blurted out, slightly overwhelmed at the thought of trying to remember campus buildings and their names while having Alice attached to me by the hip. As if I could even focus with her around, I could barely do so before I met her earlier in class.

“Are you saying you won’t be?” Alice pouted, looking at me with sad eyes. “Ugh. Christ, fine, okay. Just— stop doing whatever this,” I gestured vaguely towards her, trying to imply her demeanour “is!” I finished my sentence with a groan. “Yay! You won’t regret it!” She giddily assured me, for the second time today. “I’m guessing I can count on you saying that phrase a lot in the future, huh?” I shook my head, then left her car. Alice followed in suit, making her way over to me. “Haha, yes. That is, if you decide to stick around.” She flashed a big grin at me, and for the first time I noticed how prominent her canine teeth were. Huh. Charlie has sharp canines as well, so I thought nothing of it. “We’ll see.” I mused to myself. Suddenly Alice took my hand and began leading me to one of the smaller buildings on campus. I instantly became beet red from the surprising physical contact, but made no attempt to free my hand from hers.

I had given up on the notion of asking Alice where she was taking me, and simply accepted my fate. It turned out she led us to the campus food court, and after entering she brought us to a secluded table in a corner. It was a small, black, rectangular table that seated two people. The chairs looked uncomfortable and left much to be desired. The corner was much darker than the rest of the building, which had a glass panelled ceiling that scattered natural light amongst the enclosed indoor area. “...Are you sure this isn’t the part where I get murdered and nobody finds my body for ten years minimum?” I yet again interrogated Alice, taking a seat and pulling out my recently-bought lunch.

I took a sip of my caffé mocha and squinted skeptically at her while I waited for her response. Alice sat down across from me and hummed in thought. “I’ve already told you. How much true crime have you been watching recently, Bella? You think so little of me.” She frowned, pulling a large, translucent black tumbler with a dark terra cotta-coloured beverage inside. I coughed into my elbow to cover up my face reddening once again. I had been watching a lot of true crime on Netflix, but that’s none of her business. 

“There’s nothing wrong with being cautious!” I feebly attempted to defend myself. “There’s a difference between being cautious and being needlessly accusatory of everyone you come in contact with. How do you expect to make friends here otherwise?” Alice challenged, sipping what I guessed was a mixed berry smoothie. Some of the liquid had dribbled down her face and she licked her lips. I swallowed hard and averted my eyes and tried to come up with a response to her.

Why does she have to be so attractive and distracting? “I... uh, I don’t expect to. I usually... keep to myself, most of the time.” I forced the words out of my mouth, they felt as clumsily put together as I was feeling at the moment. “Mm, it would still do you good to at least become acquainted with one or two people in your courses. I can’t save you in all your classes when you can’t write notes.” Alice ribbed at me with the last of her words. “Yeah, well, I also don’t have to worry about dealing with you in the rest of my classes! Um... I hope.” I got quieter towards the end of my sentence. Apparently Alice noticed this and let out a laugh.

As we were conversing a tall, burly, brunet-haired beefcake of a man walked up to Alice’s chair and stood behind her. He wore a Forks varsity jacket, grey sweatpants, and well-cared for white sneakers. He loomed over her— and probably would’ve loomed over me as well. “Uh...” I cleared my throat, looking between Alice and the mystery man in the hopes that she would notice. She simply tilted her head back to meet his gaze. “Hello, Emmett.” Alice greeted him monotonously, poking him in the nose. “What are you doing here?” She prodded, appearing to be a bit... irritated?

Emmett playfully messed up Alice’s hair and scooted over to the right to stand beside her. “Uuugh, Emmett! Leave my hair alooooneee!” Alice whined, swatting at his hands. “Chill, Tinkerbell. I just wanted to see how my little sister was doing. Is this your gi—“ Alice shot Emmett an uncharacteristically terrifying warning look, and Emmett immediately got the message. He cleared his throat and continued “—is this the new friend you were telling us about?” He continued his sentence carefully. “Yeah, am I the new friend you were telling them about?” I pried, resting my forearms on the table and leaning forward closer to Alice.

Alice became visibly embarrassed and glared daggers at Emmett. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll kick your ass.” She advised him in a reserved, pleasant tone of voice that very much did not match her words. Emmett raised his hands in front of him, indicating his surrender. “Alright, alright! Sheesh. Remember to stay safe, yeah?” He swiftly kissed the top of Alice’s head and ran off, cackling. Alice balanced her elbows on the table, covering her face in her hands then dragging them down her face in frustration. “Uuuuugh. I can’t stand him sometimes!” She muttered to herself, covering her face again.

I decided now was as good as ever to start eating my sandwich from the deli. “So. ‘Whuz that ‘bout? Ya talking ta peeble ‘bout me already?” I asked between bites of my sandwich, my words distorted from talking and chewing the food in my mouth. “Emmett’s presence was... impulsive and unexpected. Is there any chance that you could just... forget that happened?” Alice sighed, her words muffled behind her hands. “Hm... Nop’.” I smiled politely at her with my mouth closed. She groaned again and hunched over on the table, her face laid on the surface and her arms rested above her head. I continued to hear her groan.

I finished my sandwich, which was delicious, and washed it down with the last of my caffè mocha. “So, you gonna answer my question?” I pressed on, teasing, and curious. I mimicked Alice’s position except with my head up, propped up by my arms. “If it were up to me? No,” She grumbled and lifted her head up enough to peek at me with her eyes “but I am well-aware that it is, in fact, not. And that you won’t let this go.” Alice muttered, though her frustration was not aimed at me. “Correct.” I confirmed, letting out a chuckle.

Alice was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath. “I don’t interact with new people very often, so when I messaged my family group chat this morning telling them that I met someone new — they were curious.” Her explanation felt part genuine, part fabricated, but I opted not to get on her case about it. “Huh.” Was all I said in response, sitting back up and proceeding to eat one of the cannoli that Alice bought me. “Oh, these are good.” I continued to munch on the Italian confectionery. I decided to leave Alice be, that she would open up and tell me more as time went on.

Once Alice heard me change the subject, she sat up and gave me a smile. “I’m glad you like them.” She had returned to her usual cheery disposition. “Jeez, with those teeth you could be the poster child for Colgate.” I jeered playfully. I wiped my hands off on my pants, done with the cannoli. “And you look like the poster child for the lumberjacks of Forks.” Alice snarked with mirth right back. I rolled my eyes at her. “Watch out, I’d have no problems throwing you over my shoulder like a couple of two-by-fours.” I responded bemusedly. She sipped on her smoothie, making eye contact with me. “You make it sound as if that’s not exactly what I want.” Alice hummed, running a finger around the circumference of the mug’s lid.

My wit was once again met with Alice’s provocations and heat scorched my face from underneath the surface. “You can stop this prank at any point, you know.” I fretted. I had no idea why Alice was acting the way she was towards me. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy the banter and...the attention...but she hardly knew me. Besides, I’m plain. You could find at least ten lesbians that look like me at any college campus across the country. I’m pretty sure I saw one that morning while I was rushing to class. “Prank?” Alice tilted her head. “What prank?” She asked, looking genuinely confused.

I took a deep breath, slightly on edge. “The way you’ve been acting towards me since we met! All... flirty and suggestive... like, are there hidden cameras somewhere? I’m not interested in getting publicly humiliated—“ “—Bella! None of this is fake!” Alice interrupted me mid-sentence, her voice louder than usual. She sighed, running a hand through her hair and attempting to collect herself. “Is it so unrealistic to think that I’m interested in you?” She queried with a hurt look on her face. “... Yes? I mean, you don’t even know me.” I answered, feeling defensive and frustrated. “Then let me get to know you!” Alice pleaded, her fists curled up on top of the table. “Just... give me time to prove myself worthy of your trust.” She unfurled her fists, eyeing them instead of looking at me.

Having mixed feelings, I kept silent for a minute. Yes, Alice was intriguing and alluring, but she was also mysterious and potentially dangerous. There was also the matter of I literally just met her and this situation was beyond unbelievable, but it also felt...familiar? I felt comfortable with Alice but I was afraid of letting a stranger, who I knew absolutely nothing about, try to date me. That’s not unreasonable! I’m not the smartest person but at least Charlie taught me how to stay safe and keep my wits about me. Eventually, I let out a huff. “Okay, fine. But I’m still wary of you.” I finally spoke, pinching the bridge of my nose. Alice beamed at me, and I knew what she was about to say. “You won’t—“ “—regret this? Yeah, yeah.” I waved my hand, a tiny smile making its way across my face.

All of a sudden, Alice reached across the table with her left hand and stuck out her pinky. “Huh?” I looked between her and her hand, perplexed by a lack of context. “I pinky promise that you won’t regret giving me a chance.” She explained, wiggling her pinky as she waited for me to react. I sighed and shook my head, reaching across the table with my right arm and hugging her pinky with my own. Her hands so small compared to my own. And they were still cold as the dead and pale as the moon. “I’m starting to wonder if you even have blood running through there.” I commented as I released her pinky and tapped her hand. Alice laughed nervously and quickly pulled back her hands. “Somedays it doesn’t feel like there is.” She agreed, seemingly embarrassed.

I checked the time and saw it was almost 2pm. “Ah shit, my next class is in fifteen minutes!” I slapped my forehead. “Don’t worry! I’ll walk you over. Where is it?” Alice purred, already tossing her mug into her bag and standing up. I decided to do the same, tossing out my waste at a nearby garbage can and heading back to the table. “Uhh, some building called Calawah Hall?” I replied, looking at my schedule on my phone. “Oh that’s a quick walk from here. Follow me!” She called to me, already walking away. “Wait up! Why are you so fast!” I cried, scrambling to catch up to her as she left the food court.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a lot planned for this series so if ur interested please bookmark it (either in ur browser or thru ao3) so u don’t miss updates! my schedule is all over the place so....i have no set update time for this fic. hope u all enjoy the ride nonetheless!


	3. Curiouser and Curiouser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella makes a new friend, and Alice takes Bella to her special spot in the forest.

# Crepuscule

### Curiouser and Curiouser

With Alice’s guidance, I luckily made it to class on time.

“Here’s my number, if you want to text me later. I’ll email those notes in the meantime. Toodles!” She blew me a kiss and winked.

My face went flush with heat and I quickly pushed open the lecture hall door to escape from her. I swear I heard her laugh as the doors closed behind me.

This lecture had much less students in comparison to my earlier class, though the halls were about the same size. Which meant I was able to find a seat with more ease, I decided to sit at the back in the middle of the hall again. My heart rate increased from the thought of the similarities to earlier that morning — specifically at the thought of Alice. I put my hands over my face then drag them down, taking a deep breath. Keep it together Bella, she’s just a girl. A very, very, hot and inticing girl. Shit, there I go again! I hunch over in my seat and shake my head desperately.

Once I composed myself I sat up, pulled out my laptop and set it on the desk in front of me. I started to boot up my computer when I noticed a shadow casting over the desk in front of me. I looked to my right and saw a tall, lanky woman hugging a notebook to her chest. 

“Uh, h-hi...do you mind if I sit here?” She asked timidly, clearly nervous.

In an attempt to calm her nerves, I smiled kindly at her. “Sure thing.” I answered, nonchalantly moving my backpack to the other side of me and making sure this stranger had enough room to settle in comfortably.

“T-thanks...I’m uh, Angela, by the way. Angela Weber.” She squeaked, introducing herself but also averting her eyes.

Angela quickly set up in the seat beside me, dropping her backpack on the floor gingerly and pulling out an egg-shaped pencil case. It had a tired-looking face. She unzipped the pencil case and retrieved a plain mechnical pencil from it, clicking it a few times to make sure there was enough graphite at the tip to write.

“I’m Bella Swan. S’pleasure to meet you.” I greeted her in turn, tapping away on my laptop in preparation for the lecture to start.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Angela visibly relaxed and let a small smile spread across her lips. The professor then walked up the stage and began to prepare for the lecture at the podium. This course was “The History Of Literature”, one of my required courses that I wasn’t exactly tripping over myself to attend. No offense to the professor of course, I just have a hard time paying attention to most things that don’t actively gauge my interest.

The lecture went by slowly, but somehow I powered through it. I had to turn and ask Angela a few times about sections I missed due to spacing out. I was grateful that she didn’t mind, and she patiently shared her written notes with me as needed.

As the professor concluded the class for the day, I turned to talk to Angela.

“Hey, uh, do you want to exchange numbers? I don’t know anyone else in this course and it would be nice to have someone to discuss the material with. No pressure, though!” I suggested hopefully.

“O-oh, okay, yeah, sure,” Angela agreed, pulling out her phone.

We put each other’s number in our respective contact list and continued packing up our things. Angela appeared to be slightly less nervous than she was before the lecture started, and I’m glad to have had made her acquaintance. Perhaps there was some merit to what Alice had said during lunch.

“Uh, thanks again. Y’know, for letting me see your notes. I have a hard time focusing.” I bashfully admitted.

“I-it’s no problem at all! I was able to help, so why wouldn’t I?” She reassured me in her meek voice and wrung her hands.

“Regardless, I’m thankful for the small kindness. Seeya on Thursday for the next lecture?” I stood up with my backpack in tow and Angela did the same.

She merely nodded in response, giving me a small smile. She then shuffled out of the row first so I could get out. I waved goodbye to Angela as I made my way to the doors, and she waved back. It looked like she was headed down to the stage to talk to the professor. Her determination and diligence seemed to be nothing to sneeze at.

Once I had exited the hall, I went to sit on one of the nearby benches and gather my thoughts. I’ve only met two people so far and yet my life has gotten that much more eventful. And one of them is a weird, short, soft-goth chick who apparently has some sort of interest in me? A strange, terrible, and elaborate prank indeed. Although she has constantly insisted otherwise to me.

After torturing myself with the concept and practice of having thoughts, I decided to go out on a limb and text Alice.

“Hey, it’s Bella. Also, don’t pull that stunt again, or else people will think we’re dating or some shit.”

“heeeeey bells :3 r u done class now then? n hehe it’s not the worst thing in the world tho”

I drop my phone in my lap and cover my face yet again. Jesus christ, man. What is with this woman?!

“...I’m ignoring the second part of that message. And yes, I am. Are you busy right now?”

“don’t be mean to meeeeee. n i’m never too busy for u xoxo wat’s up”

I rolled my eyes at her response.

“Ugh. I was going to ask you if you wanted to hang out for a bit before I drove home.”

“u don’t have 2 ask me twice”

I chuckled at Alice’s eagerness, although it made my stomach do flips at the same time. I was waiting not even three minutes and Alice bursts through the doors of Calawah Hall. I watch as she gracefully slinks past other students as they stand around chatting or scrolling on their phones. Once I’m in her line of sight, her eyes widen.

“Hi Bella! Couldn’t wait to see me again, huh?” Alice greeted me enthusiastically, sitting down extremely close beside me on the bench.

“Truly your ego should be included in the Wonders of the World with how grandeur it is.” I groaned and crossed my arms.

Alice let out a hearty laugh and linked her arm with mine. “Don’t be so stiff. You know I’m right, to some degree.”

I slightly recoiled, taken aback by the sudden contact. It took me a moment to actually relax into Alice’s touch, my braincells fighting with each other over how I should feel about the interaction.

“Keep telling yourself that, Alice.” I quipped in response, redirecting my gaze to a very fake plant in the corner of the lobby that was suddenly very interesting to me.

Alice shrugged and smiled at me. “Anyway, how about we go somewhere else? It’s not much fun just sitting around in here.”

“...Where exactly do you have in mind?” I looked down at her, who was clinging to me like a child to a giant stuffed bear.

“Relax! There’s a treeline surrounding the eastern side of campus, I was going to suggest we take a walk in the forest.” Alice explained, finally releasing her grip on my arm and standing up.

Even after she had let go of me my arm hairs were standing on end and I oddly missed the sensation of her skin against mine.

“Alright, fine. But I won’t forgive you if you murder me.” I relented, slowly rising from the bench.

Alice gave me a look with a twinkle in her eyes and I already knew what she had planned to say. As if realizing I knew, she kept it to herself. She then started to make her way through the clusters of students waiting for their next class, I had to move faster than my normal speed to keep up with her. It was much easier keeping track of Alice after we exited the building.

The walk to the edge of campus was relatively silent, other than the occasional crunch of autumnal leaves underneath my feet. I deliberately went out of my way to step on leaves because of the satisfying crunch they would make, whereas it was like Alice was acticely avoiding making any noise. I looked over at her and she was smiling to herself for some reason.

We eventually got to where the campus walkways ended and a dirt path into the dense thicket began.

“Coming?” Alice asked, holding back some branches that were in the way.

I was momentarily distracted, busy taking the sight of trees tens of yards in height. I stood in awe at these floral behemoths that were far older than I’ll ever manage to be.

“Yeah, just...processing the view. It’s magnificent.” I uttered, still mesmerized by the image before me.

“Mm, me too.” Alice sighed, glancing upwards.

It didn’t feel like she was talking about the trees, though. Like her mind was somewhere else. I chose to ignore any possible connotations and ducked under the branches Alice was still holding back. Once I was past them, she gently released them back into place.

I was overcome by the scent of soil and detritus, when coupled with the sights of the forest I felt as if I had wandered into another world. It was dark in Forks as is with all the cloud cover but the canopies blocked out what little sunlight was able to break through the overcast.

I couldn’t take a step without crunching leaves or branches beneath my boots, compared to Alice who barely made any noise with her movements. It appears she’s a woman full of many surprises.

“How to you manage to be so quiet when even so much as breathing in this place makes noise?” I whispered to Alice, afraid to speak any louder as it would feel like shouting in this forested ampitheatre.

“Practice. I often come here alone to think, so I do my best to be silent as to not disturb the animals. Unlike you, apparently.” Alice snickered softly at her own joke.

“Speaking of which, where is _here_? where are we going?” I prodded, which seemed routine at this point and the only way I would get information out of this four-foot-something mystery.

We had come upon a path of well-trodden grass, evident that the length of it had been traversed many times before. All debris had been cleared away along the path, and I was making much less noise than before.

“You’ll see. It’s a little bit farther, let’s hope you can keep up.” Alice hummed and winked at me, bounding along soundlessly ahead.

“ _Why are you running_! There’s no rush and there’s literally no one else around!” I whined, speeding up to a brisk jog as there was no way I could catch up to her.

All Alice did was laugh, the sound of it echoing amongst the towering trees. Eventually I lost sight of her, but kept trudging along at the fastest pace I could consistently muster.

I assumed she was just farther up the path, based on what she had said a few moments ago, and so I continued to follow along. After about five minutes of strenuous jogging, I catch sight of Alice again. She was seated on a large, flat boulder.

“How nice of you to finally join me!” She teased, her legs dangling over the edge of the rock and swinging back and forth.

“Well it’s not like you waited for me! You’re lucky I didn’t get lost. I have the directional capabilities of a walnut.” I groaned, slowly dragging my feet over to where Alice was sitting and leaning against the boulder.

“Oh shush, you found me here just fine. All’s well that ends well, I say.” Alice dismissed my statement with a wave of her hand.

“Yeah, easy for you to say when you weren’t the one eating dirt kicked up from how fast you were running!” I complained, narrowing my eyes at her.

“Now you’re just being dramatic. How about you put that energy into focusing the sights and sounds before you, hm?” Alice prompted, motioning forward with her head.

I rolled my eyes at her and begrudgingly complied, attempting to steady my labored breathing as I looked on ahead. We were a few feet away from a small creek, birds chirping and frogs ribbeting as the sound of rushing water provided background instrumentals to their songs.

“This is pretty nice...” I sighed, watching the animals going about their lives, with no anthropomorphic worries troubling them.

Tiny fish swam and splashed in the creek, ocassionally peeking their heads above the water before quickly descending back into the murky shallows. There was so much to pay attention to and take in for each of my senses, but it wasn’t terribly overwhelming. I felt...calm.

I looked over at Alice, who had her head tilted back and eyes closed, humming a tune quietly to herself. Almost immediately she noticed my eyes on her and opened her own eyes to look back at me. She had impeccable timing, though it didn’t give me nearly the amount of time to even attempt to figure her out.

“See? I knew you would like it here. I always come around these parts when everything else feels too much. It helps me relax.” Alice explained, tapping her fingers against the weathered rock top.

“And what is it that stresses you out so much? I noticed how trampled-down the grass is on the way here.” I inquired gently, hoping to gain some insight into her life.

“Being in the major that I’m currently in? A lot.” Alice scoffed, evidently annoyed by the thought of her studies.

“I love the field, but it doesn’t come without its hardships. Learning about mentally ill and disabled people of yesteryear is invaluable and important, but it hurts to think about what they went through. Not to mention that there are definitely some...people...who should _not_ be in this major or the courses it offers. Too inconsiderate and ignorant.” She continued, her words becoming more vitriolic as she went on.

“I can’t even to begin understanding how stressful that would be. Some people don’t care, don’t know, or don’t care to know. It makes things a lot harder on those of us who do, for no good reason.” I responded, trying not to step on Alice’s toes.

Her grief was not my own and I was trying to cultivate a space where she would feel more comfortable opening up to me. As well I hoped it would make me feel less suspicious of her.

“Yeah...it’s not easy, that’s for sure. But thanks for listening.” Alice offered me a small smile, indicating that she was done discussing the topic at hand.

“Anyway, we should start getting back. It’ll get dark sooner in the forest than anywhere else in this town.” She added, sliding off the rock and landing elegantly on her feet. It made the first sound I’d heard Alice make since entering the woods, albeit still very quiet at that.

I nodded and straightened my posture, stretching a bit in preparation for the walk back. It was quiet as we made the long trek to the parking lot, through the forest and across campus, juxtaposed to the rest of the day in which Alice was nonstop chattering. She seemed lost in thought...I wondered what ailed her?

Once we were in Alice’s student parking lot, we said our goodbyes. She looked much less sullen when we parted, thankfully. I continued the walk to my truck alone, and by the time I was driving back home it was golden hour. It looked divine backdropped amongst the Forks’ treeline.

That night, I had troubles falling asleep. My thoughts were filled by Alice and her indecipherable aura. I wanted, _needed_ , to know more for some bizarre, seemingly innate reason beyond my comprehension. Frustrated by my sudden incapbility to sleep, I grabbed some ZzzQuil and promptly passed the hell out.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope this intro chapter was pleasing! feel free to comment suggestions. and if you did like this first chapter, please comment and let me know & perhaps leave kudos! thank you so much.


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